This application relates to an improved fabricated faucet spout. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fabricated faucet spout that overcomes several limitations in the prior art with regard to both finished appearance and leakage.
Faucet spouts can be divided into two types. Cast faucet spouts are formed of a monolithic body of material cast to include internal flow passages. This type of spout is used in some applications, however, there are limitations on a cast spout. As an example, the casting methods required to form such spouts are complicated and expensive.
As an alternative to cast spouts, fabricated spouts are known in the prior art. A fabricated spout includes a plurality of individual members which are assembled to complete the final faucet spout. Typically, a housing having upper and under cover members are secured together to enclose a fluid flow line. The faucet spout extends longitudinally from an inlet forwardly to the outlet of the fluid flow line. The upper and under cover members must be secured together at forward and rearward positions in order to provide adequate stability to the assembled housing.
Prior art fabricated faucet spouts have used screws, or other attachment members, which extend through the under cover and into bosses in the upper cover to secure the two housing parts together. Typically, several screws extend through screw holes formed at a rearward portion of the under cover and into bosses in the upper cover. Forward screws extend through screw holes formed at longitudinally spaced locations along the body of the under cover in a direction towards the outlet, and into mating bosses in the upper cover.
Such constructions have several limitations. The screws near the rear portion of the faucet spout are generally hidden from view once the spout is mounted to the sink top, but the screws spaced longitudinally forwardly on the spout are visible when the spout is mounted. This creates undesirable disruptions in the visual appearance of the spout. Further, the screws typically may be coated to approximate the finish or color of the remainder of the spout housing so that they will be less visible. The screws are preferably off-the-shelf items which must be sent to a treating process to receive such a finish on their heads. This is time consuming and expensive.
Further, the bosses formed on the inner surface of the upper cover to receive screws result in irregularities in the outer surface of the upper cover. The formation of a boss on an inner surface of the upper cover typically creates sink marks, or irregularities in the outer surface of the upper cover, which are undesirable. Also, the concentration of molten metal in the mold aperture which forms the boss sometimes results in damage to the mold. For these reasons it would be desirable to reduce the number of bosses required in the upper cover.
Other problems with the prior art fabricated spouts involve leakage relating to the connection of end effectors to the outlet of the spout. Typically, an end effector such as an aerator, a spray straightener, a nozzle, or any other outlet member, is screwed to a threaded connection within an outlet end portion of the spout. The threaded connection in the outlet end portion typically has a lowermost end generally aligned with, or slightly above, an outlet port in the under cover. It is undesirable to have the outlet end portion of the fluid flow line extend outwardly of the outlet port in the undercover, since the flow line is often of a different finish than the remainder of the faucet housing and is preferably not visible from outside the spout housing. As such, the end effector usually extends upwardly into the faucet housing, and into the outlet end portion where it is secured. This causes leakage problems should the end effector be removed, since the bottom of the outlet end portion is positioned and aligned with, or above, the outlet port in the under cover. Water may leak between the outlet end portion and the under cover into the housing.
Faucets are often operated without end effectors. As an example, when faucets are initially mounted it is recommended that any end effector be removed, and water ran through the faucet to clean the flow line. This is particularly important in home construction, where particles and debris may clog the line prior to its being mounted. End effectors typically have small ports which could become clogged with materials that are being cleaned out of the flow line by this initial flow. Also, end effectors in public restrooms are often stolen. In either situation the faucet must operate without an end effector.
It is an object of the present invention to disclose an improved fabricated faucet spout in which the upper and under cover members are secured together without any visible screws or other securing members. Further, it is the object of the present invention to disclose an improved fabricated spout in which a seal is provided between the outlet end portion of the flow line and the under cover body such that the faucet may operate properly without an end effector.